Softly, softly

I hemmed-and-hahed over what to do Saturday night since there was at least four different possibilities on offer (I should say five, since Dave Merritt of The Golden Seals heartily recommends I go see Ball and Chain sometime and they were playing that night). I enjoyed The Soft Disaster so much when I saw them just recently I decided to check them out again, along with the aforementioned Seals and The Soiree. They were first up on the evening's bill, and since it was Neil Young's 60th birthday, they started the show with "The only good song on Hawks and Doves" - Little Wing, that is.

I've just realized that Soft Disaster vocalist Tim Brownlee reminds of Michael Stipe (for this comparison, you have to imagine Stipe singing in a way that you could understand what the lyrics were).



Bryce Colebrander is also in The Soiree.



Jeff Debutte likes a good grimace (not pictured).



As does drummer Nic Paradis.



Wiry post-rock-pop action!



Apple shaker action!



Another fine show. They play Zaphod's with Montreal's Kiss Me Deadly on Dec. 10.

• Show reminder: The Immortal Lee County Killers return, and they've brought Thee Shams with them to Babylon.